Tag: mygateway databases

Encyclopaedia Britannica is amazing! You get access to three sites in one: Children, Young Adults, and the Reference Center for older students and adults. This means you get to choose the level that best meets your needs, whether you are conducting research, completing homework for school or simply wanting to learn something new.

Within each of the three sites, you have access to tens of thousands of encyclopaedia entries, curated magazine articles, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, maps, research tools, recommended websites and pop-up access to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus. And Britannica Library works on any device—PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Check out this video to get an overview of all the amazing features:

If you have any questions about Encyclopaedia Britannica, please let us know.

On October 23rd the Zinio for Libraries app will stop providing access to our RBdigital magazines. From that date it will be locked to users.

When you open it, the app will display this message:

“Zinio for Libraries has merged with RBdigital.

To access your magazine collection, please download the new RBdigital app now by clicking here [this will be a download link for either IOS or Android, depending on your device].

Note: Your username and password will remain the same.”

“The old Zinio for Libraries app will remain on your device until you delete it.”

From mid-July if you opened your existing Zinio for Libraries app you will have been prompted to download the new RBdigital app. Otherwise, you can visit your app store (Apple store or Google Play) and search for “RBdigital” in the store. All your login details will remain the same. The new RBdigital app will have all your previous checkouts available – read our earlier post for more information or check out the RBdigital app user guide.

Zinio for Libraries is rebranding and becoming RBdigital – this means some changes ahead for us. On the 28th of June the RBdigital app will become the main app for our Zinio for Libraries magazine collection. The new RBdigital app has some great new features – now you’ll be able to search our magazine collection, check out and download issues all in the one app! That means there will be no need to move out of the app to browse or reopen your app to download.

You can download it from your usual app store and login with the same details as you use for Zinio for Libraries. All of your Zinio for Libraries history will be retained, but you will have to re-download the magazines you have previously checked out and downloaded. The Zinio for Libraries app will alert you by notification about the changes and you will be able to continue to use it for a minimum of 60 more days. That will give you plenty of time to get set up in the new app! If you have any questions about this change, please let us know via the Technical Support form

On Tuesday June 27th there is a planned Zinio for Libraries outage to accommodate the switchover to RBdigital. The outage will last for 14 hours, from 12pm on the 27th to 2am on Wednesday June 28th. After that the new RBdigital should be up and running!

The library has purchased two new online tools for you to use through our website – Bloomsbury Drama Online and BWB Text Collection. Both can be found on our Mygateway page (the home of our online resources) and can be accessed either at home or in the library.

Firstly, Drama Online is a one stop shop for anyone with an interest in drama. This award winning database features over 1,200 classic and contemporary play texts, including the complete works of Shakespeare. Background to the plays are provided through critical scholarly works, theory and practical “how to” guides. There is also streaming video of live performances from Shakespeare’s Globe and professional audio recordings from L.A. Theatre Works. You can search for and sort plays and monologues using cast size, gender, roles, genre, period, author, setting and theme filters.

Feedback from the talented thespians on staff is that it should have real appeal to students, drama teachers and those involved in community theatre. Dive straight in and have a play (haha) or check out this overview below.

The second online tool is from Bridget Williams, the BWB Text Collection. Bridget Williams Books is a well-known local publisher of New Zealand print books and recently they have also developed an ebook platform. We previously purchased the BWB Treaty of Waitangi Collection and have now added the Texts Collection to our offerings.

The BWB Texts Collection brings together a diverse group of short ebooks on the big issues facing New Zealand by some of the country’s best writers and commentators. Topics covered include: the housing crisis, climate change, child poverty, inequality, the 1981 Springbox tour and public health.

One of the big positives for us all is that they are so easy to use – titles are meant to be read in the web browser, and this can be any web browser on any device. There’s no downloading involved, just click on the title and read! And the number of users are unlimited.

Wellington City Libraries has opened up its virtual doors to 400 years of British historical newspapers and 19th Century US newspapers, bringing these resources to your computer or mobile device. Gale News Vault consists of five individual newspaper and news collections. You can uncover births, deaths and marriages or just browse local news or scandals.

The News Vault can be accessed from home and in the library – all you need are your library card details to unlock this amazing treasure trove for family history or history in general.

You can choose to search across the following five collections through Gale News Vault or alternatively, you can search each resource individually:

The Daily Mail Historical Archive: (1896-2004): As well as providing access to the regular edition of this newspaper the archive also contains the Atlantic Editions, printed on board the transatlantic cruise liners between 1923 and 1931.

17-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers: This is the largest single collection of 17th and 18th century English News media collected by Reverend Charles Burney (1757-1817). The 700 volumes of newspapers and news pamphlets were mainly published in London, however some English provincial newspapers are also represented.

British Newspapers 1600-1950:A comprehensive range of national, regional and local British newspapers reflecting the social, political and cultural events of the times.

19th century US Newspapers: This collection features full text content and images from numerous newspapers from a range of urban and rural regions from throughout the US. The collection encompasses the entire 19th century with an emphasis on topics such as the American Civil War, African –American culture and history, and Western migration.

TRUMBO is a gripping, spirited drama that sheds light on one of the darkest chapters in Hollywood history. It stars Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Elle Fanning, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg and New Zealand actor Dean O’Gorman. The movie opened in cinemas December 26, and Trigger Marketing and Wellington City Libraries are giving you the chance to WIN one of 5 double passes to the film!

To win free tickets please tell us the name of one of the mygateway.info library databases that contains information about Dalton Trumbo. You can enter the competition on Twitter by messaging us @wcl_library with #trumbomovie, emailing us at enquiries@wcl.govt.nz or on Facebook by messaging us @wellingtoncitylibraries. The competition ends on Tuesday 5 January and the winners will be drawn shortly after.

FILM SYNOPSIS
In 1947, the successful career of Trumbo comes to a crushing end when he and other Hollywood figures are blacklisted for their political ideologies. Risking everything, Trumbo refuses to renounce his beliefs, and pays the price for his commitment to freedom. The studios refuse to hire him, the US government sentence him to a year in prison, and the conflict soon entangles everyone in Hollywood – from gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren), to actors John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, and director Otto Preminger. With an irrepressible creative talent, Trumbo would find his way back onto the big screen, writing several scripts under pseudonyms during his exile, including Roman Holiday and The Brave One, both of which won Academy Awards under aliases. Wellington City Libraries has several other films authored by Trumbo.

As a Wellington City Libraries member you have free and unlimited access to over 3500 online tutorials and courses via Lynda.com. Learn leadership skills, how to use software like Dreamweaver or Photoshop or even to promote a business through Facebook – and much more besides.

The courses are delivered by tutors who are both experts in their field and know how to teach. Added features allow for searching across courses, curated playlists and individual access enabling course progress to be saved.

All you have to do is login to Lynda.com with your library card details (entering your last name as the PIN), set up a Lynda account to keep a course log, and then start learning!

Call in to see us at your favourite Wellington City library, or email to find out more on how to access these high quality and engaging tutorials. For any technical issues, let us know.